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Neuro-ophthalmology Service

The neuro-ophthalmology service is based within a new building in the Claremont Wing of the Royal Victoria Infirmary with fully-equipped, purpose-built facilities. We have access to a full range of diagnostic services on site including visual field testing, optical coherence tomography, MRI and CT scanning, electrophysiologic testing of vision, eye movement recordings, molecular genetic testing and counselling. The neuro-ophthalmology team also has access to a wealth of experience from a team of allied professionals including optometrists and orthoptists.

Specialist care for a wide range of conditions

You can be referred to our Neuro-ophthalmology Service by either your own GP or doctor at another hospital which may not have the necessary expertise in the following conditions or symptoms:

unexplained loss of vision and visual field loss

double vision due to nerve damage (such as following a stroke or head injury) or muscle problems (such as myasthenia gravis)

loss of vision due to optic nerve (nerve of sight) disorders such as optic neuritis and inherited optic neuropathies

visual loss and eye movement disorders following head injuries

involuntary movements of the eyelids and upper face

We also see patients who require botulinum toxin injections for eye conditions including involuntary movements of the eyelids (such as blepharospasm and hemifacial spasm), eye movement disorders and eye watering due to Bell’s Palsy.

Close working with specialist clinical colleagues

We work closely with colleagues from our Neurological Department who are seeking clinical expertise on conditions affecting the nervous and muscular systems, and one of our consultant neurologists joins them in clinic once a week.

We also work closely with Newcastle’s Neuro-rehabilitation service based at Walkergate Park Hospital. All newly-admitted patients are assessed to see whether or not they have vision and eye movement problems and those requiring further assessment are seen in our Eye Department at the RVI.

Committed to advancing clinical care

The Neuro-ophthalmology Service is involved in many areas of teaching and research and has close links with Newcastle University. We have a large clinical trials unit which means that our patients can be offered the chance to try potential new therapies for their condition and are often first to benefit from ground-breaking new treatments. Clinical treatment trials of inherited optic neuropathies are currently well underway.

We are also very active in the field of 'translational research' working closely with clinical colleagues both nationally and internationally. A major focus of our work is on genetic disorders affecting the eye, which is being carried out within the recently-established Wellcome Trust Centre for Mitochondrial Research at Newcastle University.